Trophy Wives

Gus Hansen and I work in the same office; actually, he plays in a glassed-in area called "Bobby's Room" with other poker stars like Chip Reese, and I play out on the regular poker floor with the other regular folk. (I do get to be about 20 seconds closer to the bathrooms, though, which makes a big difference in my opinion). Considering how incredibly different our lives outside the poker room must be, it's that funny to think that for eight hours or so every day, he and I are doing essentially the same thing, only with different colored poker chips.

I was thinking about this the other day when Gus walked into the poker room with a stunning blonde on his arm. While I appreciated the scenery, which included one of the few sets of real breasts I've seen since I arrived in Las Vegas, I felt somehow disappointed in Gus. I'm not sure why exactly; most of the rich people in Las Vegas, poker players included, seem to have trophy wives. So I guess it should have come as no surprise that a young, self-made, intelligent, reasonably good-looking rich guy like Gus Hansen would have one as well (I'm not sure if she's actually his wife). For some reason, though, I had viewed Gus as a more down-to-earth type. I guess it was about time I was disabused of that illusion. Now, even in the poker room, I could not pretend he and I were alike.

First Entry

As surprised as my friends were to hear that I decided to move to Las Vegas, those who really know me are likely to be even more surprised that I am starting a blog. I don't like to write, and I don't usually think I have anything interesting to say. For that reason, though, I figure this is a good oppurtunity for me, because I don't have to worry about boring anyone. If you don't think this is interesting, you don't have to read it.

A little about me: as recently as mid-June, I was toiling away in a windowless office in Washington DC. Every month or two I would go to Atlantic City or Las Vegas and come back with hundreds and hundreds of dollars. This was a lot more money than I was making by sitting in the windowless office everyday. Long story short, I'm subletting my east-coast apartment, and today I'm sitting in my new apartment in Las Vegas calling myself a professional poker player. My office is still windowless, but now I can come and go as I please, and well-endowed women in skimpy outfits bring me free drinks.

I play mostly $200 buy-in no-limit holdem. I'm not particularly good, but fortunately, I don't have to be. I am living off the poker craze that began a few years ago after Rounders came out and ESPN started showing viewers what the players were holding. The tables are littered with incompetent, drunk, and superstitious players who provide me with my income. I honestly believe that in under 10 hours I could teach anyone with an IQ above 100 to win money at these tables. It is a bit harder to win enough money to live off of, but not all that much harder.

Maybe I'll try to make my next post be interesting. No promises.